His Halo Lights the Way
by Michmak
Summary: Beth is back. Daryl tries to figure things out.
1. Dark is the Night

This is the second part of a 'mini-series' - the first five chapters are called "The Ghost in You" and are posted here as well. None of this will make sense if you haven't read that part first. Just sayin'...

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><p>It was night time, and Beth was finally sleeping. Daryl gently extricated his hand from hers, motioned to Maggie who was curled up on Beth's other side that he was stepping out onto the porch, and slid out the door. He wouldn't go too far away, just in case Beth woke up and started to panic again. Truth be told, he don't want to be too far away from her anyway – just having her outside his line of vision was making him tetchy, but he needed to think.<p>

It had been a helluva day, and he didn't see how things were gonna get any better any time soon. When he had realized just how terrified Beth was, he had, in his typical fashion, stood up and carried her into the cabin, curtly telling everyone else to set up the fuckin' parameter, and looking pointedly at Glenn and Maggie so they would know to follow him. Like he could've kept that from happening anyway – there was no way Maggie was going to let Beth go anywhere without any answers.

But she hadn't gotten any. With every question her sister asked, Beth seemed to retreat further into herself. Daryl had finally, as tactfully as he could, told her that maybe she should stop with the badgering Beth. Girl would talk when she was fucking ready, and perhaps Maggie's time would be better spent findin' somethin' for her sister to eat, since Beth wasn't lettin' go of him anytime soon.

Maggie had looked for a minute like she was going to argue with him, but Glenn had lightly touched her back and that had been that: situation diffused. When Maggie had returned to the room some fifteen minutes later, Rick had come with her, Judith in his arms.

Beth had untucked herself enough from his lap to smile and wave at the baby, and had even held her for a while when Rick had offered Judith to her with a smile.

"She's missed you, Beth," Rick had offered when L'il Asskicker had squealed and started babbling happily at the girl, "we all have." He quirked an eyebrow at Daryl when Beth wasn't looking, but Daryl could only shrug.

"Got some tents set up, and a pretty good parameter established, 'cuz I don't think we'll all be able to sleep in here tonight, but I wanted to get Judy warmed up. Can't think all this damp is good for her. Might be able to stay here a day, but we really need to find someplace bigger if we can. And we need more food – want to go out with me later, see what we can scare up?" Rick had asked.

Neither man missed the way Beth tensed up at the suggestion; the way she immediately tucked back into him. Daryl patted her back soothingly. "Think I best stay here today," he'd replied. "But y'could take Carl with you, or Glenn. I bin showin' them some things."

After Rick left with Judith, Maggie and him had managed to coax Beth to eat some dried squirrel jerky and drink some hot tea Maggie'd managed to heat up by sitting a camp mug as close to the fireplace as she dared to. "Gonna need to go on a run and try to find more tea soon," she'd murmured, worry marring her features as she watched Beth drink. "I've been saving the last few bags for when we found you, Bethy."

"Sister was damn near territorial over them," Daryl offered softly. "Wouldn't let no one else near 'em; said they was for you, because they were your favorite. Need to find you some more favorites, I think." He'd been gently running his rough fingers through her dirty hair, working out the snarls as best he could without hurting her, but he was fighting a losing battle.

Maggie, who had crouched down in front of them to watch her sister drink noticed what he'd been doing and frowned. "How about I warm up some water and grab some shampoo and conditioner I've been holding on to and we get you cleaned up, huh? Bet you'd feel a lot better if you were cleaner."

When Beth looked up at him, he'd nodded encouragement. "'S'a good idea," he'd told her. "Then you can get it up in a ponytail with your braid. Feel more like ya'self when that's done, I bet."

Bathing her had been a process. He'd tried to look away when Maggie started removing Beth's filthy shirt, but Beth had pulled away in terror and hadn't calmed down until Daryl had taken over. For a second, he thought Maggie was gonna try to force the issue; but she had merely handed him the shampoo and soap and instructed him on how to work in the conditioner before trying to comb out all the snarls. The sponge bath had been even more difficult. He'd known she'd lost a lot of weight, but seeing the boney knobs of her back and the way her jeans hung off her sharp hip bones had left him gritting his teeth. Maggie hadn't been able to stop her tears, murmuring the entire time, "Oh Bethy, oh my Bethy…"

He'd kept his touch as gentle and perfunctory as he could, frequently dipping the rag into the warm water to wring out the dirt, trying to keep the anger he was feeling, as his fingers felt every boney ridge, hidden; that was the last thing she had needed. Instead, he had washed away the dirt, helped her peel off her jeans and gently washed her legs and her feet, before murmuring reassurances to Beth as Maggie quickly washed the rest of her. When she was clean, he had helped her slide into a pair of extra track pants Maggie'd had, and one of his flannel shirts he hadn't yet cut the sleeves out of. The track pants had to be rolled several times at the waist and secured with a rope belt to keep them from falling off her, and his shirt looked ridiculous on her, but he could tell being clean made her feel better. She'd smiled widely at the both of them, burrowing her face into the soft flannel of her shoulder. She'd even allowed Maggie to ease a brush through her wet hair, before nimbly braiding it.

When that was done, Daryl had carried her into the bedroom and helped Maggie wrap her in the sleeping bag, assuring Beth he'd still be there when she woke up. She had refused to let go of him, however, so he'd ended up sinking down on the bed with her, holding her and murmuring she was safe, until she'd finally fallen asleep.

~A~A~A~A~

Daryl lights one of his last cigarettes and takes a deep draw from it. His nerves ain't calmed none though, because he's not the only one on the porch. He's trying to figure out what to tell everyone when Abraham breaks the silence.

"Something bad happened to that girl," he offers bluntly.

"That may be so," Rick agrees quietly, "but she's strong. Just needs a little time to feel safe again, and things will get back to normal."

"I know you think that and I feel bad for her, I really do, but I gotta ask – how is finding her gonna affect our mission? You all said we'd head for DC once we found her, and we have – so now what? Don't think she's strong enough to move anywhere anytime soon. Christ, girl looks like a gentle breeze would blow her down! She's gonna drag us all down, because she sure as hell can't contribute to this little merry band we have here. And if you all are focused on protecting and molly-coddling her, who's gonna help me keep Eugene safe?"

Daryl can feel the fury he'd been stifling all day – fury at the people who took Beth away from him and fury at his inability to protect her, but mostly fury at the helplessness he feels now 'cuz he don't know how to help her – percolating hotly just under his skin. "Don't give a rat's ass about keeping yer man safe," he spits out. "He ain't never bin my concern, and ya better watch the next word that comes outta yer mouth, or we're gonna have a problem here."

The larger man frowns at him. "Listen, Romeo…" but before he can get another word out, Daryl jumps him, getting two solid punches in before Rick pulls him away.

"This ain't helping," Rick states, "and no one said anything about giving up on Washington." He looks pointedly at Abraham when he says this. "We said once we found Beth, we'd help you and we'll keep our word. But right now, we don't have a plan, we're low on food and warm clothes, and it's heading into fall. Let's take a couple of days; regroup, see if we can't find a couple of working vehicles and figure out where we're at. We could all use the time – not just Beth."

"She say anything yet," Glenn asks, after Abraham had nodded curtly at Rick and sat back down. Rick's still got a hand on Daryl, gripping his shoulder tightly.

"Not yet," Daryl growls.

"Maybe she just needs time," Carol says, "Maybe it's like what happened back at the farm; shock, you know?"

"Maybe it is," he responds, "but maybe it ain't." He takes another draw off his cigarette, holding the smoke in his lungs as he stares out into the black, before turning back to face them. "I gotta tell y'all now, if she don't want to talk, that's fine. If she don't never talk again, that's fine too. But y'all ain't gonna badger her about it, or look at her strange, or treat her any differently than you ever did before. She don't need that from us. We got her back…_**I**_ got her back…and that's a goddamn fuckin' miracle in this shitty-ass world. Any a ya make her feel bad, or scared, or like she's somehow different or defective? Ya gonna be dealin' with me. We clear?"

Abraham just sighs and shrugs, but Rick nods for the rest of them. "We're clear, brother. We're clear."

* * *

><p>Halo by Abigail Washburn<p>

Dark is the night  
>Gray is the day<br>It's cold outside  
>But his halo lights my way<p>

He says to me  
>'I wanna light you up,<br>I wanna light you up,  
>In the dark and the day.<br>My halo's bright -  
>Follow the way'<p>

It's hard to see  
>It's hard to say<br>I'm without knowing  
>But his halo lights my way<p>

The water is wide  
>This side I can't stay<br>I don't know where I'm going  
>But his halo lights my way<p> 


	2. Grey is the Day

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorite. To those who have the time and inclination, please leave a review and let me know what you're thinking: good, bad, indifferent? Doesn't matter to me - any feedback is welcome. Soundtrack song is at the end of this chapter.

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><p>They stayed at the cabin for three more damp, gray days. Daryl was glad of it, truth be told – Beth did need the rest, and she wasn't strong enough to be on the move. On top of that, L'il Asskicker had developed a cold from being out in the damp, wet, weather, and she needed time to get better as well. Even if they hadn't found Beth – and Daryl thanked a God he didn't believe in every day that they had – he knew Rick would have insisted on staying put until the little girl was feeling better.<p>

Beth still wasn't talking, but Daryl didn't need to hear her voice to know that she was starting to relax. Although she was still skittish when there were too many people around her, she wasn't quite so jumpy anymore. The haunting, hunted look in her eyes was slowly being receding, and the blue of them – that fear and illness had almost leeched entirely away – was slowly starting to shine through.

Judith was staying in the front room of the cabin with Carol, Michonne, and Rick and Carl, and – much to Daryl's surprise – he was sharing the bedroom with Beth, Maggie and Glenn. If that wasn't hella awkward, he didn't know what was. After Beth's first night back, he'd resigned himself to the fact that he'd probably end up outside in one 'a the tents, and had determined that he would fight for the spot right in front of the bedroom doorway instead, so he could make sure Beth stayed safe, but it had become obvious pretty quickly that Beth needed him with her, and no one had tried to argue the point.

Didn't mean he hadn't pulled Glenn aside heading into the second night of Beth's return and warned him that if he and Maggie started anything – even if they thought they were being subtle – Daryl would turf him outta the room. "Dude, relax," Glenn had grinned at him. "What do you think we are? Exhibitionists?" When Daryl had smirked at him and quirked his eyebrow, the younger man had shrugged. "Yeah, okay. Stupid question. But we wouldn't do anything like that with Maggie's baby sister in the room!"

When they had settled down for the night – Beth in the bed and Maggie curled up behind her, with Glenn sleeping in his sleeping bag on the floor on Maggie's side of the bed – Beth had refused to let go of his hand, pulling him into the bed with her, so's that he and Maggie anchored her on either side. It was different for him, falling asleep with her head pressed against his shoulder, dainty hand clutching his scarred paw against his chest. The warm, sleepy heat of her; the feel of her hair against his neck and tickling his nose; the very _Beth-ness_ of her…having her in his arms was the closest thing to happy he'd ever had in his whole life.

When she woke during the night, shaking and silent from her nightmares, it was his touch that calmed her, his gruff voice that chased away the demons that haunted her, his thumbs that wiped away her tears. During the day, she would venture out onto the porch with him, more often than not stuck to his side like a burr. Her appetite slowly came back, and he was happy to see her doing more than just pick at whatever food they had on hand. He wanted to go hunting to see if he could get something more substantial for her to eat, but had been reluctant to go. While it was obvious that him leaving her for any reason – even one as necessary as providing sustenance for Beth and the rest of his family – would be extremely detrimental to her fragile state of health, Daryl know that his reluctance stemmed just as much from his inability to leave her. He was afraid that she'd be gone when he got back and the thought – frankly – terrified him. He didn't think he could survive losing her again.

Luckily, Carl had turned into a fair decent hunter himself. He hadn't bagged a deer yet, but the steady stream of rabbit, grouse and wild turkey he caught with his snares more than made up for it. "Not gonna have to teach you nothin' 'bout huntin' no more," Daryl had commented when the kid brought back his second turkey in less than eight hours. "Think you might havta teach me!"

Carl had smiled widely at his praise. "Need you to teach me the crossbow, but I have been meaning to talk to you about your snares…" Both of them had chuckled at this, before Carl had turned to grin at Beth. "Judy sure seems happy, Beth."

Beth had offered a small smile at that – one that lit her eyes up – and nestled the baby sleeping in her lap closer to her slight body. Daryl had reached out and gently tweaked Beth's ponytail. "Can tell yer happy too, girl."

Eventually – quicker than Daryl had thought would happen, truth be told – the fact that Beth wasn't talking didn't seem to be an issue at all. Those in the group who had known her before had taken Daryl's words to heart, and just treated her like they always had. Those who hadn't known her –Abraham, Eugene, Rosita and Tara – couldn't really miss what they'd never had, and easily accepted her presence among them. And if Abraham occasionally mumbled under his breath about the delay, he more than made up for it on the third day when he came back from a run with an extended cab Ford truck with extra Jerry cans full of gas, several jars of pickled vegetables, and a thick, wool-lined gray hoodie he gave to Beth.

"Thought you might like something of your own," he'd offered as he'd handed her the garment. "Couldn't find any other clothes for you, but this looks like it will fit you alright, and it will help keep you warm to boot." The man had even blushed a bit when Beth had hugged the hoodie against her tightly, before quickly pulling it on over Daryl's flannel shirt.

When Daryl had offered a quiet thanks, Abraham had rubbed his hand over the back of his neck and shrugged, "It's thanks enough seeing that girl look warm. Oh – I almost forgot – found this for you too."

The look on Beth's face when he'd handed her a small spiral-bound notebook and a pencil…that was when Daryl knew that she was gonna be just fine.

~A~A~A~A~

"Think we should be heading out soon," Rick had said that same evening. "We're due for a good bout of weather, and now that Abraham's found us a truck, I think we can get moving. Might be we'll find another vehicle or even a bigger place to shack up in for a while. Only know that we gotta get moving – the really cold weather will be here before we know it, and we can't be stuck here when that happens."

Daryl humm'd his agreement. Moving on was a good idea – especially now they had a truck for Beth and Judith to ride in. "S'long as Beth gets to sit inside the cab, I'm fine with that."

"With a bit of luck and weather that cooperates, we might be able to make it to Washington before the snow starts flying," Abraham offered.

Beth, who had been sitting beside him practically on his lap, nudged his side with her bony elbow and showed him her notebook. "Beth wants to know why Washington," he said.

Girl might not be talking yet, but she was making judicious use of that notebook; had already asked him what seemed like hundreds of questions in her dainty writing. Wouldn't answer any a their questions 'bout what had happened to her, and hadn't asked anyone else anything yet, but that would come. Daryl shrugged and pointed at Eugene. "Seems the genius over there knows what caused all this and can cure it. Says he has people waiting for him in Washington."

Even just saying it made him feel stupid. The brightest minds from the CDC and who knows where else hadn't been able to figure it out before the world went to shit, but some good ol' boy with an ugly mullet and an overwhelming fondness for video games knew the answer? Daryl didn't think so.

It seemed Beth was on the same wavelength as him, because she frowned at that and shook her head. Daryl didn't need her to write nothin' in that notebook a hers to understand what that meant. No one else seemed to notice it though, and Daryl just grinned and rolled his eyes at her when the conversation drifted in a different direction.

Still later that night, lying in bed with Beth wrapped around him and Maggie lightly snoring on her other side, Daryl thought about it. Sure, he might not believe that Eugene had a cure but he found he did believe in miracles – he'd gotten her back, din't he? Even though she was different than before, even though he missed the sound of her voice, and the way her words made up for his lack of them, he couldn't help but believe. She hadn't changed all that much, and it wouldn't'a mattered is she had. She was still Beth. _His_ Beth. And if he never managed to find another miracle it didn't really matter. He'd lived his whole life without them, until her – and he didn't think he could ever find one that was better, anyway.

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><p>Lost Together by Blue Rodeo<p>

Strange and beautiful  
>Are the stars tonight<br>That dance around your head  
>In your eyes I see that perfect world<br>I hope that doesn't sound too weird

And I want all the world to know  
>That your love's all I need<br>All that I need  
>And if we're lost<br>Then we are lost together  
>Yea if we're lost<br>Then we are lost together

I stand before this faceless crowd  
>And I wonder why I bother<br>So much controlled by so few  
>Stumbling from one disaster to another<p>

I've heard it all so many times before  
>It's all a dream to me now<br>A dream to me now  
>And if we're lost<br>Then we are lost together  
>Yea if we're lost<br>Then we are lost together

In the silence of this whispered night  
>I listen only to your breath<br>And that second of a shooting star  
>Somehow it all makes sense<p>

And I want all the world to know  
>That your love's all I need<br>All that I need  
>And if we're lost<br>Then we are lost together  
>Yea if we're lost<br>Then we are lost together


	3. It's Cold Outside

Getting closer every day to where I want to be with this story. Thanks to everyone reading it!

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><p>They'd been traveling, more or less, for a week – and so far, they'd been lucky. They'd only run into small, sporadic herds of walkers, and they'd been able to siphon enough gas along the way that the truck was still moving. However, it looked like their luck was just about over. When Daryl had woken up that morning and stuck his head out of his tent, everything was covered with a light dusting of snow.<p>

"Fuck," he grumbled, pulling back in the tent. He turned to look at Beth, still curled up in the sleeping bag, before crawling back over to her and laying down again. Propping himself up on his elbow, he studied the sleeping girl for a moment, noting that her face was looking a little fuller than it had when he'd first found her and the dark circles under her eyes had faded somewhat.

They'd fallen into a pattern together since leaving the cabin. Beth stuck to his side like a tick on a dog. She had refused point blank to ride in the truck cab, preferring to sit in the truck bed with him. That first day, he'd tried to get her to reconsider, but she'd refused. Planted her slight form in the dirt outside the cab and shook her head until he relented. It was obvious to him the thought of being in the truck scared her half to death, and even though Maggie had tried to force the issue – "Bethy, you're still recovering, for goodness sake. Don't be so stubborn!" – Daryl had simply grabbed her sleeping bag, hopped up into the back of the truck, and held out his hand to pull her up after him.

"Let me know if you get cold," he'd murmured into her ear as she settled between his knees, her back to his chest, as he wrapped her in the sleeping bag. "Got another sleepin' bag I can grab." He had his crossbow propped against the outside of the cab, just in case. Maggie'd rolled her eyes at them, before climbing up after her, and she was quickly joined by Glenn. Eugene, Carol, Tara and Rosita were in the cab along with Judith and, since the truck had been Abraham's find, he drove.

The night before their departure they'd all spent a fair amount of time debating what route to take. While sticking to Interstate 85 had its merits, neither Rick nor Daryl felt comfortable doing that.

"Might have more opportunity to siphon gas," Rick had agreed with Abraham on that, "but we been on the highway before, run into herds on the highway before. I say we take the side roads as much as possible. It'll take us longer, but I think it's safer."

" 'Sides," Daryl had added, "we don't want to get stuck behind a pile-up of cars; no way of knowing what or who'd be hiding in them. We need to keep clear site lines; clear as we can anyway, so we don't get surprised."

That first day, they'd made it just past the South Carolina border. When they'd stopped to make camp, Beth had flipped open her notebook and showed it to Daryl.

"Yeah," he'd agreed, tweaking her braid, "can scratch that off the list."

~A~A~A~A~

They'd set up camp quickly. When Maggie'd grabbed Beth's sleeping bag and headed toward the tent she and Glenn would be sleeping, Beth had sighed in annoyance. Holding up a finger in Daryl's direction – "One minute!" – she rushed after her sister.

Daryl pitched his tent, watching Maggie arguing with Beth when the younger girl had tried to take her sleeping bag back from her. Even though his girl still wasn't talking, she had no problem making herself understood, stamping her foot, gesticulating wildly and writing in her notebook so forcefully Daryl was sure she'd poked holes in the paper.

He smirked at her when she rejoined him a little bit later, huffing her frustration as she threw her sleeping bag into his tent. "I assume that means we're gonna be roommates," he noted dryly.

Beth had looked at him quickly at that, brows furrowing, and bit her lip. "Hey, s'okay, Beth, I'm only teasing ya. I wasn't lookin' forward to trying to squeeze my sleeping bag in Maggie's and Glenn's tent. Your sister don't realize it, but she snores."

When Maggie had approached him a couple of hours later, while Beth was preoccupied by Judith, he had heard her out before shaking his head. "I ain't tellin' her what to do," he responded patiently, "She's an adult and she gets to make her own choices."

"But she should be with me. I can take care of her," Maggie had argued.

"You sayin' I cain't?" he'd gritted out. "What've I bin doin', huh, if not takin' care of her?"

"I'm not saying that," Maggie had retorted hotly. "I know she needs you, Daryl. But she's my sister and she's been traumatized and God only knows what happened to her, and she's not making rational decisions."

"You mean she's not lettin' ya make decisions for her," Daryl scoffed, trying to keep the sudden anger he was feeling under control. "She feels safer with me. Ain't I the one that found her? Ain't I the one calms her down when she's having nightmares? Ain't I…"

"…the one that lost her in the first place?" Maggie hissed at him.

Her words hit Daryl like a sledgehammer, and he almost staggered back under the weight of them. Spinning on his heels, he stalked away, heading towards Rick. "Goin' huntin'," he'd spat at the man. "Keep an eye on Beth for me."

He hadn't returned to the camp until well past dusk, the anger simmering in his veins long since burnt out and turned to guilt. Maggie had been right, of course. It was his fault Beth'd been taken. He had lost the girl. He hadn't kept her safe – but that didn't mean he couldn't spend the rest of his time left on this miserable planet trying to make it up to her.

He nodded at Tyreese who was on watch, stepped over the perimeter wires, and slowly made his way to his tent.

"Daryl, that you?" Glenn's low voice broke the silence.

" 'S'me," he agreed. "Everythin' good here?"

"Beth is fine. Panicked when you left, took a long while to calm her down. But she's sleeping now."

Daryl bit at the cuticle around his thumb, glancing in the direction of Maggie's tent before looking back at the younger man. "Didn't catch nothin'," he offered.

"Didn't expect you to," Glenn commented. "It's hard to hunt when you're angry and stomping around. Maggie's sorry about what she said."

"No she ain't," Daryl retorted. "Besides, it's true. S'my fault Beth got took in the first place." Glenn sighed. "No, it's not. It's the fault of the people that took her."

The two men stood in silence for a few minutes, before Glenn started talking again. "Listen, I know…I know what it's like, to feel guilty. You think I didn't feel that way when we lost the prison? When Hershel died? When I lost Maggie? You think we all didn't feel the same way at some point in time or the other? You can't take it on yourself. You can't control the actions of other people. And you were right to tell Maggie that, even though she didn't want to hear it. Beth is…well, she made it. She's a survivor. And she knows what she wants and what makes her feel safe, and that's you. You think she'd feel that way if she blamed you for anything?"

Daryl shrugged, "I'unno. Maybe…maybe she's just confused. It was me and her for so long, y'know? Maybe she thinks it's still gotta be that way. Maybe she's tryin' to make me feel better for losing her, 'cuz she's good like that."

"Maybe it's because she really does feel safer with you then without you," Glenn replied quietly. "Maybe it's because she knows a good man when she sees one. Maybe it's because she knows you love her and wouldn't ever do anything to hurt her. Maybe it's because she loves you like that too." He reaches out and rests his hand on Daryl's shoulder for a second, squeezing it lightly. "Maybe you should climb into your tent and ask her yourself."

"She's in there?" Daryl whispers. "She ain't with Maggie?"

"She made it pretty clear to Maggie after you stomped off that she was staying put. She doesn't need her voice to make herself heard, that's for sure. I don't think anyone is going to be questioning her decisions anytime soon. Go to bed, man. Rick wants to get an early start tomorrow."

He couldn't do anything else but listen to the younger man, entering his tent as quietly as he could, hardly daring to believe that Beth was actually inside it until he saw her with his own eyes. She'd zipped both their sleeping bags together at some point in time, and when Daryl toed off his boots and slowly crawled into bed she turned towards him, eyes opened and tear stained as they met his own.

" 'M'sorry, Beth," he whispered, as she slid into his arms and threw a thin arm around his waist. "Shouldn't'a left like that, not without tellin' ya. So glad you stayed."

Maggie apologized the next day. "I don't really blame you, you know," she'd offered when she handed him a cup of camp coffee they'd managed to scrounge up from somewhere. "I know it wasn't your fault. I was just angry, and scared, and…so angry. I know you'd die before you let anything happen to her."

Daryl nodded at her, awkwardly petting her shoulder, before dropping his hand to his side. "Just tryin' to protect her, s'all. I wouldn't trust some grubby ol' redneck around my sister either, if I had a sister."

Beth, who had been watching the two of them closely quickly reached out and grabbed his hand, shaking her head.

"That's not what you are, Daryl," Maggie'd replied. "Not at all. I won't interfere again, because you were right – I don't get to make decisions for her. But even if I could…Daryl, if I could, I'd chose you for her every time."

Daryl glanced at Maggie from under his bangs, before slanting his gaze at Beth. Beth was smiling brighter than the sun, nodding her head in agreement, and his heart twisted painfully in his chest.

"Every damn time," Maggie reiterated, before walking away.

~A~A~A~A~

"We can make it to Shenendoah National Park if we push it today," Rick stated, pointing on the map after they'd gotten everything packed up and ready to go. "I've been there before. There's cabin's and stuff, lots of game for hunting…might be we should hole up there until the weather clears. Can scavenge in a few small towns on the way there, see if we can get some more blankets and warm clothes; maybe find some more food?"

Daryl nodded when Rick glanced at him for back-up. "Think it's a good idea. Gonna be too cold to be riding around in the back of an open truck. Already bin too cold, to tell you the truth, but now with the snow? Can't chance anyone gettin' sick."

"I hate the idea of stopping again, but you're right, damnit," Abraham agreed. "Won't matter if we make it to Washington if Eugene is frozen to death. Let's haul ass."

_'Blue Ridge mountains, here we come,_' Beth wrote in her notebook as she slid into her spot between Daryl's legs and pulled their sleeping bag around them both.

* * *

><p>Chapter soundtrack: Ghosts that we Knew by Mumford and Sons<p>

You saw my pain, washed out in the rain  
>Broken glass, saw the blood run from my veins<br>But you saw no fault no cracks in my heart  
>And you knelt beside my hope torn apart<p>

But the ghosts that we knew will flicker from view  
>And we'll live a long life<p>

So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light  
>Cause oh they gave me such a fright<br>But I will hold as long as you like  
>Just promise me we'll be alright<p>

So lead me back, Turn south from that place  
>And close my eyes to my recent disgrace<br>Cause you know my call, And we'll share my all  
>And our children come, they will hear me roar<p>

So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light  
>Cause oh they gave me such a fright<br>But I will hold as long as you like  
>Just promise me that we'll be alright<p>

But hold me still bury my heart on the coast  
>And hold me still bury my heart next to yours<p>

So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light  
>Cause oh they gave me such a fright<br>And I will hold on with all of my might  
>Just promise me that we'll be alright<p>

But the ghosts that we knew will flicker from view  
>And we'll live a long life<p> 


	4. He Says to Me

Big Meadow Lodge is a real place, although I've taken a few liberties here and there...let me know what you think of this chapter; I'm sorta excited by it.

* * *

><p>It had taken them two days to get there – not the one Rick had optimistically predicted – but mostly because the service roads heading into the park had been overgrown with creeping Charlie and fallen branches had block the way, so they'd had to stop often to clear a path for the truck.<p>

The first night, they'd camped just on the outskirts of the park. After establishing a parameter, they'd had a veritable feast – pickled vegetables, brown beans, mandarin orange slices, and fresh trout Tyreese and Sasha had caught in the lake just down a ways from where they had set up. Despite the cold drive, the day had been an extremely enjoyable one. The few walkers they'd run into had been easily dispatched or outrun, and they'd managed to scavenge more blankets, warm clothes, food and vitamins then they'd had in a long time.

After they'd eaten, the group had remained around the campfire talking softly and sharing stories, laughing at bad jokes and teasing each other in the easy-going way Daryl'd always thought families – real families – might do. For a moment Daryl wished Beth would sing something, like she had that time at the prison, but he squelched down the thought and tried not to think about how wonderful that would be. And, when it was time to call it a night, Beth had taken his hand and led him back to their tent, like it was the most natural thing in the whole entire world.

By mid-afternoon the next day they had made it up Skyline Drive to Big Meadows, in Shenandoah National Park. Once again, luck seemed to be on their side. The place, while overgrown, was more than habitable. Big Meadows Lodge was huge and had somehow remained relatively untouched. After clearing out a few walkers, they had regrouped in the main lobby area and decided to call it a day – they would spend the next exploring the rest of the cabins and other facilities.

"The kitchen here is a goldmine," Carol had happily informed them. "Lots of non-perishables in the pantry, and it's not even the main restaurant for this area. We definitely have to check that out tomorrow."

"It all seems too good to be true," Sasha had murmured. And, while Daryl – and probably everyone else – secretly agreed with her, no one said anything out loud for fear of jinxing themselves.

That first night everyone camped out in the main lobby, despite the fact that there were individual rooms with fireplaces and beds, available to them. No one even questioned it when Rick suggested they all set-up camp in the lobby instead of taking individual rooms. "Safety in numbers," he'd said. "Just because we've got this building clear, doesn't mean we shouldn't stick together until we check out the rest of it. Besides," he had added as an afterthought, "we'll only need to have one person on watchout if we're all here."

The next morning, they'd moved through the rest of the facilities. There were several well-appointed cabins with fireplaces, a gift shop that had plenty of souvenir sweaters, sweatpants and t-shirts on the shelves and in the stock room, and – as Carol had suggested the night before – an even larger amount of canned and non-perishable foods in the big restaurant.

If they'd thought their meal the night before had been a feast, the big spaghetti dinner Carol and Beth had made using a large cast iron pot they'd managed to hang over the fire pit, was sheer heaven. Later that evening as they sat around the campfire, Daryl had smirked at Beth, "Weirdest family reunion ever." Beth had covered her mouth with her hand, giggling silently, eyes gleeful. When the others had looked over at them, Daryl had shrugged. "We're all wearing the same shirts and sweaters. Just – looks weird, that's'all. Like we're the goddamn Brady Bunch, or the Waltons, or some shit like that."

That had set the rest of them laughing, especially when Carl had asked, in all seriousness, who the Waltons were.

It took about a week before people started feeling comfortable enough to stake out a claim on a room. Glenn and Maggie'd been the first to decamp from the main lobby, not that anyone was surprised by that. The next night, as if by some unspoken agreement, everyone had found one.

The lighting dusting of snow that had spurred on their hunt for a safe base stuck around. In fact, it snowed again about a week after they arrived at the Lodge. "Think we have to make this our winter base," Rick had announced over breakfast that morning.

Abraham had frowned at that, looking like he was about to protest, but Eugene had quickly agreed with Rick. "I agree. We can't make it to Washington in this weather with just a truck, and we need to keep the numbers for safety."

Even Rosita had rolled her eyes at that. It seemed to Daryl that the only person who still firmly believed that Eugene had a cure was Abraham if even Rosita seemed sceptical whenever 'the cure' was mentioned. But she was Abe's girl, so she didn't say anything about it.

Beth was finally feeling secure enough that Daryl had started hunting again. Rick hadn't been wrong when he said there was lots of game at the park; Daryl had bagged two deer that first week, and was averaging one every five days or so. With the numerous snares him and Carl had set-up, they'd had more meat in their diet than they'd experience since the apocalypse. Daryl and Tyreese had spent a morning not long after Daryl had brought back his third deer putting together several hide stretchers. Making the slurry to tan the hides with hadn't been the most pleasant experience, but the thought of being able to prepare some hide skins to keep Beth and the rest of his family warm spurred him on. There were now several skins being prepared, not only deer but rabbit and mink as well. Everyone had taken a turn scraping the skins clean of fat and membrane, and several of the woman had helped him rub the slurry – a mix of the animal's brain and water – into the skin to help tan it, and scraped it off with him the next day.

Beth still wasn't talking, but it didn't hardly matter no more. She had several notebooks now – thanks to the gift store – and it wasn't too hard to figure out what was goin' on with her regardless. When he'd shown her the mink he'd caught and seen how she stroked the soft fur, he'd promised to make her some mittens for winter. Couldn't miss how happy the thought made her, not with the way she smiled at him and threw her arms around his neck to hug him. If he sometimes wondered what it would be like if she'd kiss him, or ever want him more than as just a protector and a friend, he quickly squashed those thoughts down. It was more than enough that she was there at all; that she spent every night by his side and sought him out during the day, smiling wide every time she saw him…well, he'd live with that the rest of his life and be content.

~A~A~A~A~

"It's amazing how much colder it is this time of year than I ever remember it being before," Glenn muttered at him that morning, stamping his feet and blowing into his hands as he joined Daryl. "My theory is it's because there's no more electricity, and no more pollution to cause global warming. When do you think the winter is going to really hit?"

Daryl shrugged, "I'unno. Soon, I think."

"That's what I thought. That it would be soon. And so – I was thinking – wanna go on a run with me, down the mountain? Thought we could go into Front Royal and see what we could find."

Daryl looked at the younger man. "Don't need nothin' we din't already grab on the way up here, do we?"

"Well, yeah man…you know…" Glenn's voice dropped slightly, like he didn't want anyone else to over hear him, "Condoms…thought I'd ask Abraham if he wanted to come with. Didn't feel right asking the other guys, I don't want to rub their faces in the fact that we're getting some and they're not."

When Daryl shrugged, Glenn had tried again. "I mean, Maggie and me, Abraham and Rosita, you and Beth…you're…you need some, right?"

Daryl lifted his thumb to his mouth, worrying the cuticle with his teeth, and avoided Glenn's eyes. "It ain't like that with Beth and me. We're just…it just ain't."

The younger man whistled through his teeth in shock. "Why not? I mean you love her right? It's not like it's a big secret around here. And she loves you. You've been sleeping together since you found her. So, what's going on? Is it because of what happened when she was lost? Is she scared?"

"Dunno what happened to her, I ain't asked her and she ain't told me," Daryl growled. "Not that it's any a yer business. It's just…she ain't ever indicated she wants anythin' like that with me, and I ain't gonna push her on it. S'her choice. Not mine."

"But you want her, right?"

Daryl shrugged again, highly uncomfortable with the conversation, and didn't answer.

"Dude, that sucks. You must have the worst case of blue balls ever."

"Think you should stop talkin' now," Daryl cautioned. "I'm a grown-ass man, and Beth – she's special. She's mine to take care of and protect; I get ta keep her safe. I can live without sex, ain't that hard," he ignored Glenn's smirk at that, "s'only thing that matters to me is that she's happy."

Glenn shook his head, "What about what you need, Daryl?"

"All's I need is her, alive," he replied.

~A~A~A~A~

"Glenn told me you and Beth ain't done it yet," Maggie says to him bluntly, while helping him stretch and scrape the latest hide down.

"Damn Korean," Daryl curses under his breath, darting a quick glance at Beth, who was standing a bit away from him in front of the fire pit, stirring the venison stew they'd be having for dinner that night. "Ain't none a yer business," he whispers, "so can you just drop it?"

Maggie grins at him. "You shy? Nervous about it? Are you a virgin or something, Daryl Dixon? Because I have to tell you, a woman has needs. I can ask Rick to have 'the talk' with you, if you need some instruction."

He can feel his face heating up, "Can you drop this please, before my need to go and kill your husband ain't manageable no more?"

Maggie laughs at that. "As if. You and I both know that would never happen. Besides, as Beth's older sister I have a right to ask these types of questions. I can't believe you two haven't had sex yet!"

"Can you keep it down and not announce it to everyone else?" Daryl growls.

Maggie puts down the flat blade she'd been scraping with, and turns to face Daryl head on. "Okay, I'll quit teasing you about it but Daryl, what's the hold-up?"

"She don't need that from me, a'ight?" Daryl bites out. "Fuck, you think I'm some kind of asshole who'd take advantage like that? Force her to do somethin' she ain't ready for and don't want from me? I still don't know what happened to her after I lost her! Don't know what she bin through; don't know nothing! She still cain't even write it down in her notebook. But I'm s'possed to go all caveman on her? Only protect her if I'm fuckin' her too? I ain't gonna be one of those guys, Maggie. I ain't Merle; I ain't my pa!"

He don't realize how loud he's gotten until he feels Beth's small hand on his arm. Her eyes are wide, full of tears; she's worrying her bottom lip in her teeth. Shame rips through his body. He knows he can't stand there, with Maggie looking at him like he's done lost his mind, and Beth looking at him like she's sorry for him. He wants to bolt, can feel the need to run building up in him until he feels about ready to burst. The only thing that keeps his feet firmly planted where they are is the fact he'd promised her he'd never run away again.

"Shit, Beth, you din't need to hear that. Don't matter to me none – not at all. S'just Maggie bein' nosey s'all it is. I tol' her…" – his eyes are still darting every which way, looking for a way to escape the situation, before dropping to the ground – "…I tol' her I don't expect that from you. I know it cain't be like that for us; know you don't need that from me…"

His voice is a panicked whisper as he stumbles over his words, trying to reassure her, before they finally dwindle down to nothing. Beth is standing right in front of him now, still gripping his arm tightly. He can see the toes of her boots, and concentrates on those as he tries to calm down. He almost don't realize that the hand that ain't holding on to his arm is reaching up to cup his face. Her palm is cool against his flushed cheek, and his heart stops, then starts, then stops again when her thumb slides against the seam of his mouth.

It's a million years – and only seconds – before he has the courage to lift his eyes to her, and what he sees on her face nearly undoes him. He barely registers Maggie's _"You can thank me later,"_ doesn't realize that she's finally leaving him be, doesn't feel anything but Beth's thumb on his lips, doesn't see anything but the love in her eyes as she stares at him and smiles. When she rises on her toes and kisses him, innocent and chaste and then hot and needy, her tongue sliding greedily into his mouth; when both of her arms twine around his neck and his own wrap around her, pulling her closer; when he pulls away slightly to catch his breath before diving in for another kiss, that's when he knows what a fool he's been. How did he think he could ever live without knowing what it was like to kiss Beth? And now that he does, how will he be able to live without ever knowing what it would be like to really love her, heart and soul and body and breath?

He don't know where she begins and he ends, all he knows is that he don't want to ever stop. So, when she pulls her mouth away from him again, he trails his mouth down the perfect column of her throat, and he don't stop until he hears her voice whisper his name.

* * *

><p><strong>Story Soundtrack: "Whisper My Name" by Randy Travis<strong>

I heard a freight train out across the way  
>I heard a woman sing Amazing Grace<br>I heard a night bird call to its mate  
>When I heard you whisper my name<p>

I heard freedom break its chain  
>I heard a heartbeat where once no sound remained<br>I heard angels rise and praise  
>When I heard you whisper my name<p>

Beating softly against the waves  
>Fell a sound of an early morning rain<br>And though the lightning and thunder came  
>I still heard you whisper my name<p>

I heard music bring a heart of stone to tears  
>I heard peace ring like an anthem through the years<br>And I heard hatred fall from grace  
>When I heard you whisper my name<p>

And I heard angels rise and praise  
>When I heard you whisper my name<p> 


	5. Wanna Light You Up

And thus ends part two of "Corner of the Heart". Sorry for the delay - I've been sick all week, and it's thrown me off my game. Hopefully, this has gotten me back on track. Let me know what you think - reviews are always appreciated. Part Three won't start for at least another week.

* * *

><p>"But Bethy…"<p>

"I don't want to talk about it, Maggie. Can you please just leave me alone?" Beth's voice, like it has been for the last week, is soft. If Daryl hadn't become so attuned to it, he probably would be hard-pressed to hear her at all.

"I think if you'd just…"

Daryl rolled his eyes. It seems they were back to square one, as far as Maggie hounding Beth was concerned. With a sigh, he stepped into the room he and Beth shared, and leaned against the door frame, arms crossed.

"Thought we'd talked about this, Mags," he grunted when both girls looked at him. Beth's eyes were full of relief, but Maggie's gaze was guilty.

"Daryl, I thought you were hunting," she finally offered.

"Well, I ain't. Din't we have an agreement about ya not badgering Beth no more, especially when she's in our room?"

The older girl nodded her head, slightly shamed-face, but still with a mulish look to her. "I just want…"

"To help," Beth whispered. Her hand reached out and grasped Maggie's shoulder quickly, before skittering away. "You do that most by just being my sister. I'm just not…I don't want to talk about it, okay? Remember…remember the Governor? You didn't want to talk about that, so please, just…understand."

When Maggie finally leaves, Daryl walks over to Beth and takes up the vacated spot on the bed.

"Y'okay?"

Beth nodded, frowning slightly, and tucked herself into Daryl's side.

"She bin in here long?"

"She started asking my questions in the lounge," Beth replied. "When I got up and left, she followed me in here."

"She's just bein' Maggie," Daryl offered. "She can't help but be bossy; she ain't tryin' to hurt ya none. Glad that Glenn told me what was going on, though, before I got out into the woods." He grinned when she looked up at him. "Keep that 'tween us, though, mmm'kay? He loves Maggie, but she scares the shit outta him."

Neither said anything for a bit, and Daryl almost thinks that Beth has fallen asleep. He was just determining the best way to get up without waking her, when she whispered, "Why don't you ever ask me questions like Maggie and the others do?"

"Because I figure y'ain't ready to answer them yet. Ya might never be. Look at me – I ain't exactly an open book myself."

He can tell Beth is thinkin' on what he said, when the little divot she sometimes gets between her eyes creases her forehead. "And it doesn't bother you?"

"It'd be pretty hypocritical if it did," he replied. His fingers are toying with the ends of her ponytail, laying across her shoulder, fingers occasional brushing against her neck and collarbone. "But I gotta deal for ya. Whenever yer ready to tell me, I'll answer any questions ya wanna ask me. And if ya can never tell me, I'll un'erstand that too." He has shifted so that they are facing each other, and his hand tilts her head up slightly so that he's looking right inta her eyes so she knows how serious he is. "But Beth, I do think ya gotta tell someone. I'm not one for all that psychology shit that was all over the place before the world went to hell, but I do think holdin' it all in ain't good. Look at how fucked up I am!"

Beth starts shaking her head, but before she can voice her protest to that, he continues. "S'true. You and me, we both know it. These last few years, despite everythin', have been the best of my whole life, so ya can imagine what that says about my life 'afore. But you – yer different, better than me. Bein' sad and angry and scared, I un'erstand that, but it ain't you Beth. Remember at that moonshine shack? When ya tol' me I hadta put my past away or it'd kill me? Y'were right. And ya gotta do the same."

"But what if I can't?"

"Ya can, Beth. I know ya can. I have faith in you. And if ya can't talk to anyone about it, write it all down in one 'a them notebooks. Get it all out – and then we'll burn it. Me and you together, just like cauterizin' a wound what won't heal. We'll burn it away."

~A~A~A~A~

He rounds the corner of the lodge later that afternoon, a brace of rabbits slung over his arms, and pauses when he sees Maggie standing at the fire pit, gazing into the flames. She sees him and nods, so he takes that as permission to walk over.

"Hey," he greets her.

"Hey," she replies, "I wanted to ask you if you really think Beth is getting better."

Daryl shrugs. "I heard her singin' the other day, to Asskicker. Don't think she realized she was even doin' it."

Maggie brightens at that, "Really?"

"Yeah – it was…well, it was somethin'. Was startin' to think I'd never hear her voice like that agin." He brings his thumb to his mouth, chewing on the edge, before glancing at Maggie from under his bangs. "That's a good sign, right?"

"I'd say," the girl grins brightly at him, before her smile falters a bit and her eyes cloud. "When we were little, it seems like all she did was sing. Used to drive me crazy, sometimes. Daddy though – he loved it. Always encouraged her. You remember."

Daryl nods. "He was proud a' the both of ya."

"I miss him so much," Maggie sighs. "It's always there, that ache. I think if he was still here, he'd know how to fix Beth up; what to say to her. I don't mean to keep pushing her."

"We both know that, Maggie, but ya gotta trust that she'll figure it out. Look at how far she's come since we found her! She's working through it in her own way. She's stronger than ya think, ya know. More like ya than ya realize."

Maggie nods at that, contemplating his words. They stand in companionable silence for a few more moments, before he shakes himself outta his stupor. "Gotta go; bin gone longer than I planned, and I don't want her to start worryin'."

"Leave the rabbits," Maggie instructs. "I'll take care of them."

~A~A~A~A~

"Ya seen Beth?" Daryl asks Rick, when he see his friend has Asskicker with him. "Thought she'd be with Jude."

"She was, for a while," Rick replies. "Said she had something to do though – went back to your room. Nice to hear her talking again."

Judith, who had been crying when Daryl walked over, perks up at the sight of him and reaches out. Rick grins when Daryl reaches back. "I sometimes think you're some type of miracle worker, brother."

Daryl scoffs at that, "That's me alright. Social worker in my other life." He tucks Judith gently in his arms, smiling when the little girl fists his shirt and rests her head against his chest sleepily, hiccupping away her tears. "Wanted to talk to ya about somethin'. I bin thinkin', we bin here about two months now right?" He barely waited for Rick's nod before continuing. "Near as I can figure, we got here around the middle of October, so that would mean it's gotta be purt' near Christmas."

When Rick doesn't respond, Daryl sighs. "Think we should do somethin'. Have a big dinner; celebrate somehow. Almost another year, and we're still standin', still alive. And would be good for Carl, and Judy, for all a' us…and Beth, especially. She told me once, before I lost her, that Christmas was her fav'rit. Maybe if we start buildin' better memories for her, it will help her put away the bad ones. Think it would help all 'a us. Whaddaya think?"

"I think that's a fine idea," Rick replies. "A damn fine idea."

~A~A~A~A~

Beth is curled up in their bed when he walks in a while later, furiously scribbling in her notebook. She's been crying, but she finishes what she's writing before she turns and smiles at him. He don't need to ask her what she's bin up to; s'obvious she'd taken his words to heart earlier.

"Hey," he murmurs, approaching the bed and reaching out with one hand to wipe away a tear trailing down her cheek. "Y'okay?"

"I will be," she replies. "Just finished here, so we can burn it. Think the fireplace is hot enough to do the job?"

Daryl glances at the fire in the grate in their room, before walking over to it and throwing in another couple 'a logs. "Could stand to be hotter. Want that mother fucker to turn to ash. Ya sure yer ready for this?"

"I'm more than ready," his girl replies shakily, sliding from the bed and approaching his side. "Do you want to read it first though?"

"D'ya want me too?"

Beth shrugs, worries at her bottom lip with her teeth. "I'm scared if you know what happened to me that it'll change things. That you'll think less of me."

"T'ain't no way. Don'cha know yer everythin', Beth? Ain't nothin' ya could put in here would make me angry with ya, or make me turn away from ya. It's bin you, for a long time now…yer it for me. Ain't nothin' could change that."

Beth is crying again, but it seems to Daryl they're happy tears. "Then read it. And we'll burn it together, and after…when it's gone…make love to me. I'm ready now. Ready to be yours, and you'll be mine."

* * *

><p>Chapter Soundtrack: Joan of Arc by Leonard Cohen<p>

Now the flames they followed Joan of Arc  
>as she came riding through the dark;<br>no moon to keep her armour bright,  
>no man to get her through this very smoky night.<p>

She said, "I'm tired of the war,  
>I want the kind of work I had before,<br>a wedding dress or something white  
>to wear upon my swollen appetite."<p>

Well, I'm glad to hear you talk this way,  
>you know I've watched you riding every day<br>and something in me yearns to win  
>such a cold and lonesome heroine.<p>

"And who are you?" she sternly spoke  
>to the one beneath the smoke.<br>"Why, I'm fire," he replied,  
>"And I love your solitude, I love your pride."<p>

"Then fire, make your body cold,  
>I'm going to give you mine to hold,"<br>saying this she climbed inside  
>to be his one, to be his only bride.<p>

And deep into his fiery heart  
>he took the dust of Joan of Arc,<br>and high above the wedding guests  
>he hung the ashes of her wedding dress.<p>

It was deep into his fiery heart  
>he took the dust of Joan of Arc,<br>and then she clearly understood  
>if he was fire, oh then she must be wood.<p>

I saw her wince, I saw her cry,  
>I saw the glory in her eye.<br>Myself I long for love and light,  
>but must it come so cruel, and oh so bright?<p>

*I highly recommend pulling this up on YouTube and looking for the Jennifer Warnes/Leonard Cohen version of this song from 'The Famous Blue Raincoat' album. It's brilliant.


End file.
